Money-actuated devices



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MONEYACTUATED DEVICES original Filed oct. 2s, 1960 13 sheets-sheet 12 /oa n2 /24 H8! los /06 United States Patent C) 3,242,929 MONEY-ACTUATED DEVICES Cliord B. Adams, Bellefontaine Neighbors, Mo., assignor to National Regiectors, Inc., St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Original application ct. 26, 1960, Ser. No. 65,030, now Patent No. 3,186,531, dated June 1, 1965. Divided and this application Sept. 4, 1964, Ser. No. 402,047

8 Claims. (Cl. 2133-2) This is a division of application Serial No. 65,030, filed October Z6, 1960 now U.S. Patent No. 3,186,531.

This invention relates to improvements in money-actuated devices. More particularly, this invention relates to improvements in money-actuateddevices that can dispense products that can give change.

It is therefore an object of the :present invention to provide an improved money-actuated device that can dispense products and that can give change.

It would be desirable to have a money-actuated device which could accept money in the form of pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, half dollars, one dollar bills and tive dollar bills, which could credit the patron with the acceptance of such money, which cou-ld thereafter permit the patron to select one or more products, which could then vend the selected products if the total value of the money inserted by the patron equalled or exceeded the total of the sales prices of those products, and which could then give the correct amount of change to the patron in the form of pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, half dollars, one dollar bills, two dollar bills, or iive dollar bills. Such a money-actuated device would greatly extend the areas where automatic merchandising could be used. The present invention provides such a money-actuated device; and it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a Imoney-actuated device which accepts money in the form of pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, half dollars, one dollar bills and five dollar bills, which credits the patron with the acceptance of such money, which vends the selected products if the total value of the money inserted by the patron equals or exceeds the total of the sa'les prices of those products, and which gives the correct amount of change to the patron in the form of pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, half dollars, one dollar bills, two dollar bills, or iive dollar bills.

The money-actuated device provided by the present invention can provide many, individually-different sales prices. Specifically, that device can provide nine hundred and ninety-nine individually-different sales prices. Further, the money-actuated device of the present invention can be lset to provide the same o-r individually-ditferent sales prices for the various products to be vended by that device. As a result, the device provided by the present invention is extremely versatile and makes it possible to vend many different products of widely-differing value. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a money-actuated device which can provide nine hundred and ninety-nine individually-diierent sales prices and that can provide the same or individuallyditerent sales pris for the various products to be vended by that device.

The money-actuated device provided by the present invention does not require a patron to insert the coins or bills in any predetermined sequence. Instead, that device can accept coins and bills which are inserted in random sequences; and it Will accurately credit the patron with the values of all of those coins and Ibills. Further, the total value credited to a patron can be applied toward the purchase price of any of the products to be vended by that device.

The money-actuated device provided by the present invention will not only give the patron the correct amount 3,242,929 Patented Mar. 29, 1966 ICC of change but it will use a minimum number of coins and bills in doing so. For example, if the value of the change exceeded nine dollars and seventy-live cents, a tive dollar bill, two two dollar Ibills, a half dollar, a quarter and other lesser coins could be used to make that change. 4If the value of the .change exceeded four dollars but was less than five dollars, two two dollar bills plus coins would be used to make the change. In each case where change is to be given to the patron, a live dollar bill would be used instead of two ltwo dollar bills plus a one dollar bill, a half dollar would be used instead of two quarters, a quarter would be used instead of two dimes plus a nickel, and a dime would lbe used instead of two nickels. In brief, the money-actuated device oi' the present invention will use the minimum number of bills and coins that could be used in making change. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a money-actuated device which uses the minimum number of bills and coins in making change.

The money-actuated device provided by the present invention does not limit a .patron to just one selection. instead, that device makes it possible for a patron to make as many selections as he wishes, provided the value of the money credited to him equals or exceeds the tota-l of the sales prices of the various products selected. After the various desired products have been vended, the patron can then obtain Ichange which exactly equals the ditte-rence between the total of the credits and the total of the sales prices of the vended products. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a money-actuated device that permits a patron to make one or more selections and that will then give the patron change which exactly equals the difference between the total of the credits and the total of the sales prices of the vended products or product.

The money-actuated device provided by the present invention will permit a :patron to insert money, to make one or more selections, and then, if desired, to insert more money and to make one or more further selections. Regardless of how many insertions of money that are made, and regardless of how many desired products that are vended, the moneyactuated device provided by the present invention will always keep track of the residual credit and will only vend further products if the residual credit equals or exceeds the sales prices of the desired products. Further, regardless of how many insertions of money that are made, and regardless of how many desired products that are vended, the money-actuated device provided by the present invention will give the patron change which exactly equals the difiere-nce between the total 4of the credits and the total of the sales prices of the vended products.

The bills and coins, which the moneyeactuated device provided by the present invention gives the patron as change, will pass to a cup-like coin receptacle which is accessible from the exterior of that device. As a result, the patron can readily collect those bills and coins. It would be desirable to give the patron all of the bills and all of the coins, used in making change, at the same time; because he could then collect them all atV one time. If those bills and coins were to be given to the patron at diierent times during the cycle of the money-actuated device, the patron might attempt to collect his change .before all of it had been given. That patron could, if he were impatient or otherwise in a hurry, Walk away and fail to collect all of his chan-ge. Also, that patrons hand could be struck by coins or bills that were being given as change lduring the last portion of the cycle ofthe money-actuated device as that patron was trying to collect the bills and coins that had been given as Ichange during an earlier part of the cycle of that device. Either of these results Would be objectionable and should be avoided. The money-actuated device provided by the present invention avoids these objectionable results by giving all of the bills and all of the coins, which are used to make change, to the patron at the same time. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a money-actuated device that gives the patron, at one time, all of the bills and coins used in making change.

To collect his change, a patron does not need to do any-thing more than press a payout switch. Once that switch has been pressed, the money-actuated device provided by the present invention will automatically determine whether change is to be given to the patron; and if change is to be given, that device will automatically determine yexactly how much change is to be given to the patron. Further, that device will automatically detern mine what bills and what coins should be used in making up that change; and then that device will automatically give that change to the patron.

The money-actuated device provided by the present invention will give a patron change if that patron selects and receives a product which has a sales price that is less than the value of the money inserted by that patron. That money-actuated device will also return a patrons own money if that patron decides not to make a selection. In either case, the patron need only press the payout switch; and the money-actuated device will then automatically return the patrons own money if a selection has not been made and will automatically give change if a selection has been made and the product has been received. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a money-actuated device wherein the pressing of the payout-switch will automatically return a patrons own money to him if a selection has not been made but will automatically give that patron change if a selection has been made and the selected product has been vended.

The money-actuated device provided by the present invention does not require the patron to pull levers, push rods or otherwise supply motive power. All the patron need do is insert the money in the appropriate places, press a'selection switch to secure the desired product, and then press the payout switch to obtain his change. in the event a patron changes her mind and decides not to make a selection, she can get her money back by merely pressing the payout switch. To make all of this possible the money-actuated device provided by the present invention must be electrically powered; and yet, one problem that is associated with electrically-powered, money-actuated devices is that if a fuse blows or an electrical storm causes a current interruption, a patron may lose some of the credits due him. The present invention obviates this problem by using stepping switches that iXedly remain in position 'until they are advanced by energizations of thevcoil's'thereof. Further, the present invention obviates this problem by providing a mechanical latching relay which establishes a mechanical memory of whether a selection has not yet been made or a selection and vend have been made. As a result, current interruptions can only result in temporary delays and can not lead to the loss of credits duethe patron. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an electrically-powered moneya'ctuated device which utilizes stepping switches that redly remain in position until they are advanced by energizations of the coils thereof and which utilizes a mechanical latching relay that establishes a mechanical memory of whether a selection has not been made or a selection and vend have been made.

Whenever money is inserted in the money-actuated device provided by the presentinvention, the selection circuits are disabled and the payout circuits are disabled. This is desirable, because it will protect the patron against the loss of credits corresponding tothe inserted money, which' could occur, if those circuits were 'permitted to operate While money was being inserted. It is therefore an vobject of 'the present invention to providea coinactuated device which accepts coins of ditierent values and credits the patron with the values of those coins, and which disables the selection circuits and the payout circuits whenever money is being inserted.

The money-actuated device provided by the present invention has a vending circuit and has a deducting circuit. The vending circuit leads to the vending of the esired product, and the deducting circuit leads to the deduction of the sales price of that product from the credits due the patron to provide a residual credit due the patron. The operations of those two circuits are initiated simultaneously, to reduce the length of the overall cycle of the money-actuated device; and yet those two circuits must be isolated from each other to keep one of them from re-starting the other at the conclusion of the cycle of operation of that other circuit. The present invention makes it possible to initiate the operations of the vending circuit and of the deduction circuit simultaneously and yet keep either of those circuits from re-starting the other when that other has completed its cycle of operation.

It would be undesirable to permit the money-actuated device provided by the present invention to continue to operate in the event the vending relay of the vending circuit or the credit relay were to become stuck. The present invention prevents further operation of the money-actuated device in the event the vending relay or the credit relay become stuck; and it does so by transferring the running circuit of the deductor motor to serially-connected, normally-closed contacts on the vending relay and on the credit relay. If those relays have become stuck, and thus have not permitted those contacts to re-close, the deductor motor will come to rest and will not com-plete its cycle. As long as that deductor motor does not complete ,its cycle, further bills or coins can not be accepted and further selections can not be made. However, if those relays subsequently restore those contacts, the deductor motor can complete its cycle and thereby ready the money-actuated device for further operation.

The present invention utilizes electromagnets and cams in the paying out of the bills and coins as change, and those cams are mounted on motor-driven shafts. It would be undesirable to permit either of those shafts to make more than one revolution during a cycle of operation of the money-actuated device. The present invention keeps each of those shafts from making more than one revolution during a cycle of operation of the moneyactuated device by equipping those shafts with cycle control switches that, prior to the completions of the revolutions of those shafts, de-energize the motors which drive those shafts, and that also prevent reenergization of those motors unless the starting circuits of those motors have re-opened. In this way, the present invention makes certain that neither of those camoperated shafts will make more than one revolution during a cycle of operation of the money-actuated device.

The money-actuated device of the present invention uses three stepping switches, and those stepping switches participate in most of the phases of operation of that device. For example, those switches participate in the registering of credits when money is inserted, they participate in the sensing for the presence of sufficient credit to equal or exceed the sales price of the selected product, they participate in the deducting of the sales price from the credit'due the patron, and they participate in the giving of change. By participating in so many phases of the operation of `the money-actuated device, those stepping switches reduce the total number of components needed. Further, and more importantly, by participating in so many phases of the operation of the money-actuated device, those stepping relays avoid the loss of credits that could occur if several groups of switches or relays were used and one or more of those groups got out of register w1th the others. Moreover, by having those stepping vswitches participate in so many phases of the operation of the money-actuated device, the present invention prevents losses to patrons or to the operator of the moneyactuated device in the event of current interruptions, because those stepping lswitches will provide mechanical memories of the status of the various phases of operation of that money-actuated device. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a money-actuated device which has three stepping switches that participate in the registering of credits when money is inserted, that participate in the sensing for the presence of sufficient credit to equal or exceed the sales price of the selected product, that participate in the deducting of the sales price from the credit due the patron, and that participate in the giving of change.

The three stepping switches in the money-operated device of the present invention record and display credits on a decimal system basis. For example, one of those stepping switches records and displays credits in the range of one through nine cents; and that stepping switch can be appropriately referred to as a unit registration stepping switch. A second of those stepping switches records and displays ten, twenty, thirty, forty, iifty, sixty, seventy, eighty and ninety cent credits; and that second stepping switch can be appropriately referred to as a tens registration stepping switch. The third of those stepping switches records and displays one hundred, two hundred, three hundred, four hundred, five hundred, six hundred, seven hundred, eight hundred and nine hundred cent credits, one through nine dollars; and that third stepping switch can be appropriately referred to as a hund-reds registration stepping switch.

The Wipers of the three stepping switches used in the money-actuated device of the present invention are unidirectional in their movements. To enable those stepping switches to provide the required deduction of credit after a product has been vended, and still enable the wipers of those stepping switches to move uni-directionally, the present invention applies pulses, to the coils of those stepping switches, which are the ten complements of the three digits of the sales price, as modified by the carry forward involved in the computation of those tens complements. For example, if the sales price were one dollar and thirty seven cents, and if the patron had inserted a ive dollar bill, the present invention would apply a direct tens complement of three pulses to the unit registration stepping switch, would apply a modified tens complement of six pulses to the tens registration stepping switch, and would apply a modified tens complement of eight pulses to the hundreds registration stepping switch. As a result, the dials of those stepping switches would correctly display, and the wipers of those stepping switches would correctly record, a residual credit of three dollars and sixty three cents. It is therefore an object of the present invention to enable the three stepping switches of a moneyactuated device to provide the required deduction of credit after a product has been vended and still enable the wipers of those stepping switches to move uni-direc- ,tionally by applying pulses to the coils of those stepping switches, which are the ten complements of the three digits of the sales price, as modilied by the carry forwar involved in the computation of those tens complements.

The money-actuated device provided by the present invention has three relays that are energized whenever the three digits of the sales price exactly equal the three digits of the credit due the patron; and those relays can be appropriately referred to as exact relays. Further, that device has three relays which are energized whenever the three digits of the sales price are smaller than the three digits of the credit due the patron; and those relays can be appropriately referred to as over relays. The exact relays and the over relays coact to determine if the credit due the patron equals or exceeds the sales price of the desired product, and'those relays also coact to modify the tens complements which can be required to enable the stepping relays to record and display the residual credit after a product has been vended. In the money-actuated device provided by the present invention, an exact relay and an over relay is provided for each of the three stepping switches. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an exact relay and an over relay for each of the three stepping switches of a money-actuated device.

The money-actuated device provided by the present invention senses for the presence of sucient credit to equal or exceed the sales price of the desired product immediately upon the pressing of a selection switch. That sensing is done without any movement of mechanical or electromechanical components such as lstepping switches, motors, or the like. As a result, that sensing is substantially static in nature; and it is performed immediately, with no wear of components, and with no loss of registration of components. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a money-actuated device wherein the sensing of available credit is done each time a selection is made, is done immediately, is Vdone without any movement of mechanical or electro-mechanical components.

The money-actuated device provided by the present invention credits a patron with the value of the inserted money with a minimum number of components. For example, that device provides a penny-operated circuit that directly energizes the coil of the unit registration stepping switch, provides a dime-operated circuit that directly energizes the coil of the tens registration stepping switch, and provides a dollar-operated circuit that directly energizes the coil of the hundreds registration stepping switch. Also, that device provides a live-pulse generator that responds to the insertion of a nickel, a half dollar or a five dollar bill to apply five pulses, respectively, to the penny-operated circuit, to the dime-operated circuit, or to the dollar-operated circuit. When a quarter is inserted, it directly supplies two pulses to the dime-operated circuit and causes the five-pulse generator to apply ve pulses, to the penny-operated circuit. In this way, the present invention uses a penny-operated circuit, a dimeoperated circuit and a dollar-operated circuit plus a fivepulse generator to credit patrons with the insertion of pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, half dollars, one dollar b ills and ve dollar bills.

vThe money-actuated device provided by the present invention also uses a minimum number of components in energizing the electromagnets which help eiect the giving of change. For example, that device connects contacts, calling for the giving out of from one through four pennies or dollars, directly to the electromagnets that help give pennies and dollars as change; and that device also connects contacts, calling for the giving out of from six through nine pennies or dollars, -to the lirst said contacts via contacts on the unit registration and hundreds registration stepping switches. Those contacts on the unit registration and hundreds registration stepping switches will be open wheneverM the wipers of those switches are in their zero through four positions but will be closed whenever those Wipers are in their tive through nine positions. As a result, the electromagnets that help give pennies and dollars as change Will respond only to the contacts calling for the giving out of from one through four pennies or dollars as long as the wipers of the unit registration and hundreds registration stepping switches are in their Zero through four positions, but the electromagnets that help give pennies and dollars as change will automatically respond to the contacts calling for the giving out of from six through nine pennies or dollars as soon as the wipers of the unit registration and hundreds registration stepping switches move into their ve through nine positions.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention should become apparent from an examination of the drawing and accompanying description.

In the drawing and accompanying description, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown and 'described but it is to be understood that the drawing and accompanying description are for the purpose of illustration only and do not limit the invention and that the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

In the drawing, FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the unit registration, the tens registration and the hundreds registration stepping switches, and adjacent components used in the money-actuating device provided by the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the exact relays and the over relays and some of the contacts on the stepping switches of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a 4schematic view showing the selection switches, the selection relays, and the deductor motor used in the money-actuated device of the present invention,

FIG. 4 is a schematic showing of the vend relay, the vending motors, the mechanical latching relay7 the credit relay, and other components of the money-actuated device provided bythe present invention,

FIG. 5 is a schematic showing of the deductor switches used in the money-actuated device of the present invention,

FIG. 6 is a schematic showing of two rotary switches that participate in the paying out of coins, and it also Y shows other components used in the money-actuated device of the present invention,

FIG. 7 is a schematic showing of the electromagnets which participate in the giving out of bills, and it also vshows the motor which is used in the giving out of bills.

FIG. 8 is a schematic showing of the motor which is used in the paying out of coins, and it also shows a pulsing Vcircuit used in the money-actuating device provided by the present invention,

FIG. 9 is a schematic showing of the coin-actuated switches and of the tive-pulse used in the money-actuated device of the present invention,

FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic view showing the manner in which the sheets on which FIGS. l through 9 appear should be grouped to show the proper interrelation of FIGS. 1-9,

FIG. 11 is a front elevational view of one of the three stepping switches shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 12l is a side elevational view of the stepping switch shown in FIG. 11,

FIG. 13 is a sectional view through the stepping switch of FIG. 11, and it is taken along the plane indicated by the line 13-13 in FIG. 11,

FIG. 14 is another sectional view through the stepping switch of FIG. 1l, and it is taken along the plane indicated bythe line 14-14 in FIG. 11,

FIG. l5 is another sectional view through the stepping switch of FIG. 11, and it is taken along the plane indicated by the line 15-15 in FIG. l1,

FIG. 16 is a schematic view, in perspective, showing the payout reservoirs, the payout slides, the electromagnets, and the cams used in giving coins as change, and it also shows the shaft which supports those cams and the wipers of two rotary selector switches, and

FIG. 17 is a schematic view, in perspective, showing the payout reservoirs, the bill ejectors, the electromagnets, and the cams used in giving bills as change, and it also shows the shafts that drive those cams.

The money-actuated device provided by the present invention has a number of overall circuits; and each of those overall circuits has a number of sub-circuits and components. These overall circuits are described hereinafter in appropriately identiiied sections of this description; and the sub-circuits and components of each overall circuit are described in the section which describes that overall circuit. Those overall circuits are: Money Registering Circuit, Product Selection Circuit, Value Sensing Circuit, Vend Relay Circuit, Product Vending Circuit, Credit Deduction Circuit, Change Payout Circuits, and Homing Circuit.

The overall circuits have some sub-circuits and components in common; and, as a result, some of the overall circuits have the components thereof shown in several diierent views of the drawing. For convenience and clarity, a chart has been provided at the end of this description which indicates where each electrical component appears in the drawing. Two conductors 30 and .32 appear in all of FIGS. 1-9; and those conductors will be suitably connected to a source of alternating current. The conductor 32 will `be connected to the grounded side of the alternating current source and the conductor 30 will be connected to the hot side of that source. Those conductors supply the current needed to operate the money-actuated device of the present invention.

Money registering circuit As indicated particularly by FIG. l9, the Money Registering Circuit includes a number of money-actuated switches. One of those switches is denoted by the numeral 34, and it will be actuated by pennies. That switch is a single pole, double throw switch, and the movable contact of that switch is connected to the conductor 3i). The numeral 36 denotes a single pole, double throw switch that will be actuated by nickels. The movable contact of the switch 36 is connected to the upper fixed Contact of the switch 34. The numeral 38 denotes a single pole, double throw switch that will be actuated by dimes. The movable contact of that switch is connected to the upper xed contact of the switch 36. The numeral 40 denotes a single pole, double throw switch that will be actuated by quarters. The movable contact of that switch is connected to the upper fixed Contact of the switch 38. The numeral 42 denotes a single pole, double throw switch that will be actuated by half dollars. The movable contact of that switch is connected to the upper iixed contact of the switch 4t?. The actuators of the switches 34, 35, 38, di? and 42 will, respectively, extend into the paths of pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters and half dollars which are inserted in the money-actuated device of the present invention. Those various coins will pass through one or more slug rejectors before they engage the actuators of those switches; and the said slug rejector or slug rejectors will reject any lslugs or spurious coins. The actuator for the dime-actuated switch 38 will be arranged so a quarter, as well as a dime, can engage and move that actuator.

The numeral 44 denotes a single pole, double throw switch; and the movable contact of that switch is connected to the upper xed Contact of the switch 42. The switch 44 is adjacent a relay that is part of a currency detector for one dollar bills. That currency detector could be of the type shown and described in Smith et al. application Ser. No. 849,066 for Currency Detectors which was tiled Oct. 27, 1959; and that currency detector will respond to the insertion of an authentic one dollar bill to cause the movable contact of switch 44 to move down into engagement with its lower fixed contact and then permit that movable contact to return to its normal upper position.

The numeral 46 denotes a single pole, double throw switch; and the movable contact of that switch is connected to the upper fixed contact of the switch 44. The switch 46 is adjacent a relay that is part of a currency detector for tive ydollar bills. That currency detector could be of the type shown and described inthe said Smith et al. application; and that currency detector will respond to the insertion of an authentic live dollar bill to cause the movable Contact of switch 46 to move down into engagement with its lower xed contact and then permit that movable contact to return to its normal upper position.

As indicated particularly by FIG. 9, the movable contacts of the switches 34, 36, 38, 4t), 42, 44, and 46 are normally in their upper positions; and in those positions those movable contacts complete a circuit via conductor 30, switches 34, 36, 38, 48, 42, 44 and 46, relay contacts 142A, money registering relay coil 148 and conductor 32. The money registering relay coil 140 operates a pair of contacts 146A in FIG. l and a pair of contacts 140B in FIG. 7; and those contacts are open whenever the relay coil 140 is de-energized. However, whenever that relay coil is energized, those contacts will be held closed.

The money registering circuit also includes three rotary stepping switches 48, 133 and 137; and those switches are shown schematically in FIG. l. Those rotary stepping switches are identical; and hence only one of them, namely switch 48, will be described in detail, as by FGS. 11-15. The rotary stepping switch 48 has a coil 5th A pivot 52 is spaced to the left of the coil Si) in FIG. 12, and a ratchet wheel 54 is rotatably mounted on that pivot. That ratchet wheel has ten equally-spaced teeth, and it also has a cam rise 56, a cam rise 58, and a cam rise 64). As indicated particularly by FIG. 13, the cam vrise 56 is closest to the pivot, the cam rise 58 is further from that pivot, and the cam rise 60 is the most distant from that pivot. A cylindrical dial 62, which has the numerals zero through nine formed on its face, has the hub thereof telescoped over the hub of the ratchet wheel 54. Suitable fasteners, shown as machine screws, extend through the web of the cylindrical dial 62 and seat in threaded sockets in the hub of the ratchet Wheel 54 to lock that dial and that wheel for conjoint rotation. The dial 62 has a number` of indexing stops 64 which project axially outwardly from the left-hand edge of the face of that dial, as that dial is viewed in FIG. l1.

The rotary stepping switch 48 has a horizontally-directed, slotted guide plate 66 disposed at about the level of the axis of the .pivot 52, and it also has a horizontallydirected, slotted guide plate 68 disposed below the level of the axis of that pivot. The numeral 70 denotes a plunger which has the right-hand portion thereof reciprocably mounted within the coil 5t) and which has ears 72 and '74 that extend into the slots of the slotted guide plates 66 and 68, respectively. The engagement of those ears with those slots Will hold the plunger 70 for movement that is generally parallel to the axis of the coll 50 while permitting slight vertical movement of the lefthand end of that plunger. The left-hand end of the plunger 70 has a notch 76 therein which enables that plunger to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel 54 and to force that ratchet wheel to rotate in the clockwise direction in FIG. 13. The plunger 70 also has a horizontally-directed surface 78 adjacent the right-hand end` thereof; and that surface can accommodate and hold the indexing stops 64 on the dial 62. A helical extension spring 80 has the left-hand end thereof suitably secured to a projection on the frame of the rotary stepping switch 48, `and it has the right-hand end thereof seated in a notch adjacent the lower end of the ear 74 on the plunger 70. As a result, that spring biases the plunger 70 to the left in FIG. 13, but that spring can yield to permit that plunger to move to the right whenever the coil 58 is energized.

The rotary stepping switches 48, 133 and 137 are of the type that are cocked whenever the coils thereof are energized `and that advance the dials, the ratchet wheels and the wipe-rs thereof only after those coils have subsequently become tde-energized. Specifically, whenever the coil 50 is energized, the plunger 7 0 will be pulled to the right and the notch 76 in the left-.hand end of that plunger will be moved to the right of the next counter-clockwise tooth on the ratchet wheel 54; and the spring 8f) will pull that notch up into engagement with the rear `face of that tooth. Such movement of the plunger '78 will not advance the dial 62,- the ratchet wheel 54 or the wiper 126 of the switch 48. Not until the coil 50 is subsequently de-energized, #and the helical extension spring 88 pulls the plunger 70 back to its normal position, will the dial 62, the ratchet wheel 54, and the wiper 126 be rotated; and as the spring `80 retracts the plunger 70, the dial 62, the ratchet wheel 54 and the wiper 126 will be rotated thirty-six degrees in the clockwise direction. Successive energizations land de-energizations of the coil 50 will successively step the dial 62, the ratchet wheel 54 .and the Wiper 126 in the clockwise direction.

The numeral 82 ldenotes a pivot which is disposed to the right, and above the level, of the pivot 52. A pawl 84 is rotatably mounted on that pivot, and the lower end of that pavvl is adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel 54. The lower end of the pawl 84 is formed so it will readily permit the ratchet wheel 54 to rotate in the clockwise direction but will prevent rotation of that ratchet wheel in the counter-clockwise direction. A cam follower 86 also is rotatably mounted on the pivot 82; and the leftrhand end of that cam follower rests on the periphery of the ratchet wheel 54 and will be successively engaged by the cam rises 56, 58 and 68 as that ratchet wheel and the dial 62 .are stepped in the clockwise direction. A spring 88 is wound around the pivot 82, and one end thereof is `hooked over the upper edge of the carn follower 86 while the other end thereof eng-ages the right-hand end of the pawl 84. Asa result, that spring biases the lefthan-d end of the cam yfollower 86 downwardly toward the periphery of the ratchet wheel 54 while also biasing the left-hand end of the pawl 84 toward the teeth of that ratchet Wheel.

The right-hand en-d of the cam follower 86 carries a disc 89 of insulating material, an-d that dis-c moves downwardly and upwardly, respectively, as the cam rises 56, 58 and 68 engage, 4and then move out of engagement with, the left-hand end of the cam follower 86. 'I'he normal position of the disc 89 is shown by FIG. 13; and, in that position, that disc holds a pair of contacts 98 apart. As the first rise 56 engages the left-hand end of the cam follower 66, the disc 89 will move down far enough to permit the contacts 90 to close. Subsequently, as the second cam rise 58 engages the left-hand end of the cam follower 86, the disc 89 will move down far enough to engage a short length of insulating rod 91 carried by a movable contact 94 and move that contact down out of engagement with a fixed contact 92 and into engagement with a fixed contact 96. Later, as the third cam rise 68 engages the left-hand end of the cam follower 86, the dis-c 89 will move .down far enough to cause the rod 91 to engage -a movable contact 18@ and move that contact out of eng-agement with a fixed contact 98 and into engagement with a fixed contact 182.

The dial 62 of the stepping switch 48 is mounted adjacent a window in a panel of the money-actuated device; and, in the normal position of that dial, the numeral zero will be displayed in that window. At the time the first cam rise 56 permits the contacts 90 to close, the numeral one on the dial 62 will be moving into register with the window in the panel. At .the time the second cam rise 58 causes the contact 94 to move out of engagement with the contact 92 and into engagement with the contact 96, the numeral five on the dial 62 will be moving into register with the window in the panel. At the time the third cam rise 60 causes the contact 108 to move out of engagement with contact 98 and into engagement with contact 182, the numeral nine will be moving into register with the opening in the panel. As the numeral zero on the dial 62 moves into register with the window in the panel, the disc 89 on the cam follower 86 will move up far enough to re-open the contacts 96, to move the contact 94 into engagement with the contact 182, and t0 move the contact into engagement with the contact 98. This means that the contacts 91B will be open when the numeral zero 1 1 is displayed but will be closed whenever any of the numerals one through nine is displayed. Also, it means that the contacts 92 and 94 will be in engagement and the contacts 94 and 96 will be out of engagement whenever any of fthe numerals zero through four is displayed, but the contacts 92 and 94 will be out of engagement and the contacts 94 and 96 will oe in engagement whenever any of the numerals tive through nine is displayed. In addition, it means that the contacts 98 and 1G@ will be in engagement and the contacts 101i and 102 will be out of engagement whenever any of the numerals zero through eight is displayed, but that contacts 93 and 106 will be out of engagement and that the contacts 100 and 1112 will be in vengagement whenever the numeral nine is displayed.

The rotary stepping switch 48 has circumferentiallyspaced, fixed contacts 1114, 166, 108, 116i, 112, 114, 116, 118, 121B and 122; and those contacts correspond, respectively, to the zero and one -through nine positions ofthe dial 62. The rotary stepping switch 43 also has a common contact 124; and the wiper 126 has an inner contact 128 which always engages the common contact 124. That wiper also has an outer contact 13d which normally engages the contact 104 and successively engages the contacts 105, 1118, 110, 112, 114, 116, 118, 120 and 122.

The rotary stepping switch 4S is for unit registration. Specifically, that rotary stepping switch is used to register credits from zero through nine cents.

Thenumeral -131 denotes .a relay coil which is shown in FIG. 2; and the right-hand terminal of that coil is connected to conductor 32. The left-hand terminal of that coil is connectable to the conductor 30 by the contacts 90. That relay coil operates a normally-open pair of contacts 131A in FIG. 3, a normally-closed pair of contacts 131B in FIG. 4, a normally-open pair of contacts 131C in FIG. 7, a normally-open pair of contacts 131D in FIG. 5, and a normally-open pair of contacts 131E in FIG. 6. The contacts 131A, 131C, 131D and 131B are open only at the zero position of the dial 62, and the contacts 131B are closed only Iat the Zero position of the dial 62.

A second rotary stepping switch 133 is for tens registration. Specically, that rotary stepping switch is used to register credits of ten cents, twenty cents, thirty cents, forty cents, fifty cents, sixty cents, seventy cents, eighty cents and ninety cents. That switch has a coil 132;`and it also has contacts 134 which are open only when the zero on the dial of that switch is displayed. The switch 133 has contacts 136 which are closed whenever any of the numerals ve through nine of the dial of that switch is displayed and which will be open whenever any of the numerals zero through four of that dial is displayed. That switch also has contacts 138 which are open Whenever any of the numerals zero through eight on the dial of that switch is displayed, and that are closed only when the numeral nine is displayed. The switch 133 has cirf cumferentially-spaced, iixed contacts 144, 146, 148, 150, 152, 154, 156, S, 160 and 162. Those contacts correspond, respectively, to the display of the numerals zero and one through nine on the dial of the switch 133. The 'wiper of the switch 133 is denoted by the numeral 143.

The numeral 165 denotes a relay coil which is shown in FIG. 2. The right-hand terminal of that coil is connected to the conductor 32, and the left-hand terminal of that coil is connectable to the conductor 3d yby the contacts 134. That relay coil operates a pair of normally-open contacts 165A in FIG. 3, a pair or" normally-closed contacts 165B in FIG. 4, a pair of normally-open contacts 165C in FIG. 7, and a pair of normally-open contacts 165D in FIG. 5. The contacts 165A, 165C and 165D will be open only when the dial of switch 133 displays the numeral zero; and the contacts 165B will be closed only when the dial of that switch displays the numeral zero.

The rotary stepping switch 137 is for hund-reds registration. Specifically, that rotary switch is used to register vcredits of one hundred cents, two hundred cents, three hundred cents, four hundred cents, tive hundred cents, six hundred cents, seven hundred cents, eight hundred cents, and nine hundred cents. The switch 137 has a coil 164; and that switch also has contacts 166 which are open open when the zero on the dial of that switch is displayed. The switch 137 has fixed contacts 163 and 172 and a movable contact 171); and the contacts 168 and 170 are shown in FIG. 3 while the contacts 170 and 172 are shown in FIG. 7. The switch 137 has contacts 174 and 176 which are shown in FIG. 3. The contacts 1e@ and 171) will be closed whenever any of the numerals zero through four on the dial or" switch 137 is displayed whereas the contacts 176 and 172 will be open whenever any of those numerals is displayed. The contacts 163 and 17@ will be open whenever any of the numerals tive through nine on the dial of switch 137 is displayed, whereas the contacts and 172 will be closed whenever any of those numerals is displayed. The contacts 174 and 176 will be closed whenever any of the numerals zero through eight on the dial of switch 137 is displayed but will be open whenever the numeral 9 is displayed.

The switch 137 has circumferentially-spaced, iixed contacts rae, isz, isti, rse, isa, rac, isz, 194, 1% and 19S. Those contacts correspond, respectively, to the display of the numerals zero and one through nine on the ,dial of the switch 137. The Wiper of that switch is denoted by the numeral 292.

The numeral 203 denotes a relay coil which is shown in FIG. 2. The right-hand terminal of that coil is counected to the conductor 32, and the left-hand terminal of that coil is connectable to the conductor 30 by the contacts 166. That relay coil operates a pair of normallyopen contacts 203A in FIG. 3, a pair of normally-closed contacts 203B in FIG. 4, a pair of normally-open contacts 203C in FIG. 7, and a pair of normally-open contacts 203D in FIG. 5. The contacts 293A, 203C and 203D will be open only when the numeral zero on the dial of switch 137 is displayed, and the contacts 263B will be closed only when the numeral zero on that dial is displayed.

The openings, through which the numerals on the dials of the rotary stepping switches 48, 133 and 137 are displayed, are diincnsioned so that just one numeral of each dial can be seen at any one time. Normally, the zeros of those three dials will be Visible, Ibut those dials can be advanced to display any one of nine hundred and ninety-nine permutations of numbers. The dial of the switch 137 will `be disposed to the left of the dial for the switch 133, and the dial of the switch 48 will be disposed to the right ofthe dial for the switch 133.

The right-hand terminal of the coil 50 of the switch 43 is 'connected to the conductor 32, and the left-hand terminal of that coil is connected to the lower xed Contact of the switch 34 by a conductor 21,14. The right-hand terminal of the coil 132 is :connected to the conductor 32, `and the left-hand terminal of that coil is connected to the lower fixed contact of the switch 3S by a conductor 2%. The right-hand terminal of the coil 164 is connected to the conductor 32, and the left-hand terminal of that coil is connected to the lower fixed contact of the switch 44 by the conductor 208.

The money registering circuit also includes a live cents relay coil 142 which is shown in FIG. 9. That relay coil has a pair of normally-closed contacts 142A in FIG. 9, a pair of normally-open contacts 142B in FIG. 9, a pair of normally-open contacts 142C in FIG. 9, and a pair of normally-closed contacts 142D in FIG. 9. The right-hand terminal yof the coil 142 is directly connected to the conductor 32, and the left-hand terminal of that coil is connected to the lower lixed contact of the switch 36. The normallyopen contacts 142B are intermediate the lef hand terminal of the five cents relay coil 142 and the upper fixed contact of a cam-operated switch 214 in FIG. 9. The movable contact of that cani-operated switch is directlyv connected to the conductor 3G. The lower fixed contact of that switch is connected to the lett-hand terminal of a motor 210 by the normally-closed contacts 142D of the five cents relay coil 142. The right-hand terminal of that motor is directly connected to the conductor 32. That motor drives a single-lobe cam which normally ypermits the movable contact and the yupper fixed contact of the switch 214 to be in engagement; and that cam will, once during each revolution of the output shaft of the motor 210, shift the movable contact of switch 214 down into engagement with the lower xed contact of that switch.

The motor 210 also drives a tive-lobe cam which is adjacent a cam-operated switch 212. That switch is normally open, as shown by FIG. 9, but it will be closed tive times by the {ive-lobe cam during each revolution of the output shaft of the motor 210.

The numeral 215 denotes the twenty ve cents relay coil of the money registering circuit, an-d that coil has the right-hand terminal thereof directly connected to the conductor 32. The left-hand terminal of that relay coil is connected to the lower fixed contact of the switch 49. That relay coil operates a pair of normally-open contacts 216A in FIG. 9 which are connected intermediate the lower xed contacts of the switches 38 and 40. That relay coil also operates normally-open contacts 216B in FIG. 9 which are connected in parallel with the normallyopen contacts 142B. Thus, the contacts 216B are connected intermediate the left-hand terminal of the tive cents relay coil 142 and the upper xed contact of the cam-operated switch 214.

The numeral 218 denotes the fifty cents relay coil of the money registering circuit; `and that relay is shown in FIG. 9. That coil has the right-hand terminal thereof connected directly to the conductor 32, and the left-hand terminal of that coil is connected to the lower xed contact of the switch 42. That relay coil operates a pair of normally-open contacts 218A which are connected intermediate the left-hand terminal of the coil 218 and the upper fixed contact of the cam-operated switch 214. That relay coil also operates a pair of normally-open contacts 218B which are connected intermediate the left-hand terminal of the five cents relay coil 142 and the upper xed contact of the cam-operated switch 214. The relay coil 218 additionally operates a pair of normally-open contacts 213C connected intermediate the xed Contact of the cam-operated switch 212 and the conductor 266; and that coil also operates a pair of normally-closed contacts 218D connected to the iixed contact of the cam-operated switch 212.

The numeral 220 denotes the tive dollar relay coil of the money registering circuit; and the right-hand terminal of that coil is connected to the conductor 32 in FIG. 9. The left-hand terminal of that relay coil is connected to the lower fixed contact of the switch 46. That relay coil operates a pair vof normally-open contacts 220A in FIG. 9 which are intermediate the lett-hand terminal of that coil and the upper xed contact of the cam-operated switch 214. The coil 220 also operates a pair of normally-open contacts 226B in FIG. 9 which are intermediate the lefthand terminal ofthe five cents relay coil 142 and the upper fixed conta-ct of the cam-operated switch 214. In additiornthe relay coil 220 operates a pair of normally-open contacts 20C intermediate the cam-operated switch 212 and the conductor 268 in FIG. 9 and a pair of normallyclosed contacts 220D intermediate the conductor 204 and the normally-closed relay contactsy 218D in FIG. 9. The money registering circuit also includes a transfer relay coil 222, and the right-hand terminal of that coil is connected to the conductor 32 in FIG. 5. The left-hand terminal of that relay coil is normally isolated from the conductor 204 by the normally-open contacts 1th) and 162 on the rotary stepping switch 48. The relay coil A222 operates a pair of normallyopen contacts 222A which I4 are connected intermediate :the conductors 206 and 30, at the left-hand side of FIG. 5.

The numeral 224 denotes .another transfer relay coil which has the right-hand terminal thereof connected to the conductor 32 in FIG. 5. The left-hand terminal of that coil is normally isolated from the con-ductor 266 by the normally-open contacts 13S on rotary stepping switch 133. The relay coil 224 operates a pair of normally-open contacts 224A which are intermediate the conductors 208 and 30 at the left-hand side of FIG. 5.

The numeral 232 denotes a bill-rejecting relay coil; and the right-hand terminal of that coil is directly connected to the conductor 32 in FIG. 3. Whenever that coil is energized it will permit the currency detector for ve dollar bills to accept authentic ve dollar bills, but whenever that coil is tie-energized it will prevent acceptance of live dollar bilis. The numeral 234 denotes a money-rejecting relay coil; and the right-hand terminal of that coil is connected to the conductor 32 in FIG. 3. Whenever that coil is energized it will permit pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, half dollars and one dollar bills to be accepted; and it will, whenever both it and the bill-rejecting relay coil 232 are energized, permit tive dollar bills to be accepted. However, whenever the coil 234 is cie-energized, it will disable the currency detector for one dollar bills and will also cause coin-rejecting pins to reject pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters and half dollars, as by entering the slug rejectors for those coins.

Product selection circuit Referring to FIG. 3, the numeral 226 denotes a single pole, double throw selection switch that will be accessible at the exterior of the money-actuated device. The movable contact of that switch will normally be in its upper position. The numeral 22S denotes a single pole, double throw selection switch that also will be accessible at the exterior of the money-actuated device; and the movable contact of that switch will normally be in its upper position. The movable contact of the switch 228 is directly connected to the upper fixed contact of the switch 226. The numeral 230 denotes a single pole, double throw selection switch that will be accessible at the exterior of the money-actuated device; and the movable contact of that switch will normally be in its upper position. The movable contact of the switch 23h is directly connected to the upper fixed contact of the switch 228'.

Whenever the various circuits, sub-circuits and components of the money-actuated device are at rest, the switches 226, 228 and 23d complete a circuit via conductor 36, cam-operated switch 430, relay contacts 490H and 624F, switches 226, 228 and 23h, contacts 174 and 176, contacts 168 and 1719, relay coil 232, and conductor 32. Also, those switches will complete a circuit Via conductor 3G, cam-operated switch 436, relay contacts 4001-1 and 624F, switches 226, 228 and 230, contacts 174 and 176, relay coil 234, and conductor 32. However, the actuation of any of the selection switches 226, 228 and 230 will interrupt both of those circuits, and will thereby de-energize both of the relay coils 232 yand 234.

The numeral 236 denotes a selection relay coil, and the right-hand terminal of that coil is connected to the conductor 32 in FIG. 3. The left-hand terminal of that coil is connected to the lower contact of an empty switch 242; and the movable contact `of that empty switch is connected to the lower fixed contact of the selection switch 230. The left-hand terminal of the selection relay coil 236 is also connected to a pair of normally-open contacts 236A operated by that coil. The selection relay coil 236 also operates a pair of normally-closed contacts 236B in FIG. 3, a pair of normally-open contacts 236C in FIG. 1, a pair of normally-open contacts 236D in FIG. 1, a pair of normally-open contacts 236B in FIG. l, a pair of normally-closed contacts 236F in FIG. 1, and a pair of normally-open contacts 236G in FIG. 4. 

1. IN A MONEY-ACTUATED DEVICE, A STEPPING SWITCH THAT HAS A PLURALITY OF STATIONARY CONTACTS AND A MOVABLE CONTACT WHICH IS MOVABLE INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH VARIOUS OF SAID STATIONARY CONTACTS TO ESTABLISH VARIOUS CREDITS, A PLURALITY OF ELECTRICALLY-RESPONSIVE, MONEY-DISPENSING ASSEMBLIES, AND A SELECTOR SWITCH THAT IS CONNECTED TO SAID STEPPING SWITCH AND TO SAID ELECTRICALLY-RESPONSIVE MONEYDISPENSING ASSEMBLIES, SAID SELECTOR SWITCH BEING ACTUATABLE INDEPENDENTLY OF SAID MOVABLE CONTACT OF SAID STEP- 